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Source: New Line/Warner Bros. October 21, 2010 Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Rob Kazinsky, Aidan Turner, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow and Peter Hambleton have joined the ensemble cast of The Hobbit, it was jointly announced today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema; Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros.; Steve Cooper, co-Chief Executive Officer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., and Peter Jackson. Since The Hobbit films received a green light on October 15, pre-production has been in full swing. Set for release in December, 2012 and December, 2013, we can confirm that Martin Freeman (The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Hot Fuzz) will play Bilbo Baggins, the hero of the story. Richard Armitage (UK TV's "MI-5" and soon to appear in Captain America: The First Avenger) is set to play Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the Company of Dwarves which sets off to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a thieving dragon. "Despite the various rumors and speculation surrounding this role, there has only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us," says Peter Jackson. "There are a few times in your career when you come across an actor who you know was born to play a role, but that was the case as soon as I met Martin. He is intelligent, funny, surprising and brave - exactly like Bilbo and I feel incredibly proud to be able to announce that he is our Hobbit." He adds: "Richard is one of the most exciting and dynamic actors working on screen today and we know he is going to make an amazing Thorin Oakensheild. We cannot wait to start this adventure with him and feel very lucky that one of the most beloved characters in Middle-earth is in such good hands." Rounding out the Company of Dwarves are Aidan Turner (TV's "Being Human"Wink Smilie and Rob Kazinsky (TVs "EastEnders"Wink Smilie who play Kili and Fili, respectively. Jackson comments, "Rob is an extremely talented young actor with a huge career in front of him, I'm thrilled that he has agreed to take on the role of Fili. Besides his talent as an actor, Rob is also a champion sword fighter; I'm looking forward to seeing the damage he can do to a horde of marauding Goblins!" He continues, "Adian is a wonderfully gifted young actor who hails from Ireland. I'm sure he will bring enormous heart and humor to the role of Kili." The remaining dwarves will be played by Graham McTavish (Secretariat and TV's "24"Wink Smilie as Dwalin; John Callen (TV's "Power Rangers Jungle Fury"Wink Smilie as Oin; Stephen Hunter (TV's "All Saints"Wink Smilie as Bombur; Mark Hadlow (King Kong) as Dori; and Peter Hambleton (TV's "The Strip"Wink Smilie as Gloin. Jackson notes, "Graham is a terrific actor, with a great depth of experience, which I know he will bring to the role of "Dwalin. I have worked with Mark Hadlow on many projects; he is a fantastic actor. I am thrilled to be working with both of them on these movies. He adds, "I am also proud to announce the casting of New Zealand actors as Peter Hambleton, John Callen and Stephen Hunter. Fran and I know that they will bring great depth and talent to our Company of Dwarves." The two "The Hobbit" films are being co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production, Warner Bros Pictures handling domestic distribution and MGM distributing internationally. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Carolynne Cunningham are producing the films, with Phillipa Boyens serving as co-producer and Ken Kamins as executive producer. Read more: The Hobbit Casting Announced! - ComingSoon.net http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienew ... z1336BcTOL
Very cool news - thanks for the link brado! A list, for ease of reference: [list:1neyhn3i][*:1neyhn3i][b:1neyhn3i]Bilbo: Martin Freeman[/b:1neyhn3i][/*:m:1neyhn3i] [*:1neyhn3i][b:1neyhn3i]Thorin: Richard Armitage[/b:1neyhn3i][/*:m:1neyhn3i] [*:1neyhn3i]Fili: Rob Kazinsky[/*:m:1neyhn3i] [*:1neyhn3i]Kili: Aidan Turner[/*:m:1neyhn3i] [*:1neyhn3i]Dwalin: Graham McTavish[/*:m:1neyhn3i] [*:1neyhn3i]Oin: John Callen[/*:m:1neyhn3i] [*:1neyhn3i]Bombur: Stephen Hunter[/*:m:1neyhn3i] [*:1neyhn3i]Dori: Mark Hadlow[/*:m:1neyhn3i] [*:1neyhn3i]Gloin Peter Hamilton[/*:m:1neyhn3i][/list:u:1neyhn3i]
Damn, I just came to post this but you beat me to it. :P [b:lkpvr2wc]GB[/b:lkpvr2wc]
I've heard of Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage but know little about them, and don't recognize any of the other names. Can anyone say anything about them? :lol:
Some pics of those I could find; Thorin: Richard Armitage [img:1zy53h85]http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af236/pettytyrant101/richarmgisborne_403x470.jpg[/img:1zy53h85] Would have thought he was a bit young for Thorin. Fili: Rob Kazinsky [img:1zy53h85]http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af236/pettytyrant101/rob_kazinsky.jpg[/img:1zy53h85] Kili: Aidan Turner [img:1zy53h85]http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af236/pettytyrant101/aiden1qzlhaoo1_500.jpg[/img:1zy53h85] This looks suspicusly like a Merry and Pippin comedy double act shaping up here-mores the pity. Dwalin: Graham McTavish [img:1zy53h85]http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af236/pettytyrant101/GrahamMcTavish460x276.jpg[/img:1zy53h85] Oin: John Callen [img:1zy53h85]http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af236/pettytyrant101/johncallen2008_WNSA10a.jpg[/img:1zy53h85] Dori: Mark Hadlow [img:1zy53h85]http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af236/pettytyrant101/Markhadlow.jpg[/img:1zy53h85] That's all the ones I could find (Didn't bother with Freeman as his mug is elsewhere on the forum already).
Armitage specializes in bad guys usually (and quite hammy ones at that) and came to recent prominence in the very bad BBC version of Robin Hood where he played Guy of Gisbourne. Some of the others are NZ stage actors and comic actors. Mark Hadlow was apparently in King Kong although I don't particularly remember him myself. Aiden Turner was in a BBC3 comedy/drama about a werewolf a ghost and some other supernatural entity (vampire?) flat sharing in modern Britain and if Kazansky is in Eastenders then he is a soap opera actor. Can't say its an acting list that gives me goose pimples or fills with me confidence.
Thanks for the pics, petty. 8-) I've heard good things about Martin Freeman and he looks the part, but a lot of the others (including Armitage) don't look anything like Dwarves to me. I suppose they'll all be plastered in prosthetics, but still. :roll:
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/10 ... more-39468 about some of the actors.
Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6DtyhzA ... re=related
Rob Kazinsky in the woeful Dream Team a soap opera about a fictitious football team in the English premier division. From his youtube videos it would seem his fame does not have much to do with his acting, as this clip demonstrates- one for the ladies (and suitably orientated men) out there; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkz7yz1O ... re=related
Aidan Turner in Being Human; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AxF_eRf ... re=related I think this unlikely idea for tv won a BAFTA.
Armitage as Guy of Gisbourne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMUTmQoa ... re=related I always thought there was a touch of the Sean Bean about him, especially the voice.
Martin Freeman was also in the movie "Love Actually," which had an allstar british cast. His character was a stand in for a porn movie, and he and the stand in girl would be, well, pretending to... you know... and they'd be having the most simplistic conversations. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2hm7GYcaF4 he's at 1:00
Don't you just hate Hugh Grant movies - I do.
I love Hugh Grant Movies, especially Love Actually! Great stuff from Alan Rickman, Colin Firth, and the rest of the cast too. :mrgreen: [b:2hznrv5w]GB[/b:2hznrv5w]
Devil's Advocate, hey! :x :x :x
I'm having trouble thinking of any of the other rumoured Bilbos who seem to fit the part more, except for McCoy, who was quite old. All in all I'm rather pleased with Freeman. So far I'm not as enthused by the other choices, but I suppose I should give them a fair chance...
Err... so is it Freeman or not? (With a name like that, he's obviously not a Socialist! <img src='/images/smileys/wink.gif' border='0' alt='Wink Smilie' /> )
Indeed! I have heard that he will be changing his name to [i:za3vt0p5]Freehobbit[/i:za3vt0p5] for this job, because [i:za3vt0p5]The Hobbit[/i:za3vt0p5] is clearly a modern parable of freedom in the face of socialist oppression! Smaug the Dragon represents the threat of encroaching Communism in the East, with Dale as a small oppressed democracy, and Bilbo from the "western world" as the noble American interventionist coming in to defeat the enemy! :mrgreen: (Bet GB loved that. :P )
I love it when you spank old Beardy!
Just what are you implying there? <img src='/images/smileys/wink.gif' border='0' alt='Wink Smilie' />
Whatever you want it to mean, Laddie, whatever you want it to mean...
I'll need to think on that one. :? I thought Mirabella was the Banks who liked GB!
No, you misunderstand - I like watching you spank GB, but not for the reasons you think! (Mind, Mirabella has said she wouldn't mind giving GB a fine spanking at times - and now I'm beginning to second guess myself as to what she means! :shock: ) (((I think I might have a rest. Avenging is more tiring than I'd anticipated))).
:shock: :shock: :shock: You Bankses. :P
Smaug the Dragon represents the oppression of the Goddess. :P Saruman is the Intellectual Stalinist, and Sauron is Hitler, totally Fascist Right Wing Nutjob. Gandalf is the Anarcho-Socialist...the REAL Freedom Lover. Hobbits are Pastoral Communalists. :ugeek: :mrgreen: According to Paul, the dwarves are the Bankers. :? Elves, they're the Treehuggers. <img src='/images/smileys/wink.gif' border='0' alt='Wink Smilie' /> [b:20bghwhj]GB[/b:20bghwhj]
Like Eldo, I am very pleased with Freeman as Bilbo, but most of the other actors were not at all what I expected. That Richard Armitage will need a lot of make-up and prosthetics to make a good Thorin.
Agreed Ringdrotten- can't say I've ever been very impressed by him. How was Egypt? Did you have fun, see wonderous things that sort of thing?
Egypt was great, will post more about it when I get home as I am currently on a bus using an iPod to browse the net, so typing is slow <img src='/images/smileys/wink.gif' border='0' alt='Wink Smilie' />
McCoy cast (though not yet signed) for Radagast: http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/10 ... the-brown/ So, it seems they're fleshing out Radagast's role (or rather, making it all up). I imagine they'll make him part of the White Council or, worst case scenario, he'll replace Beorn (unlikely, but possible). Your thoughts? Personally, I won't mind them giving Radagast a bigger role as long as he doesn't replace Beorn. I suspect Odo and Petty will dislike this though, making up new stuff and all that :lol:
Hello, dear forum! I hope all is going well for you all, both familiar faces to myself, and new. I just popped in to say that, over-all, the cast looks... less promising than expected. The main reason, for me, is Thorin. He is such an iconic character in the book, and for him to be played by this younger actor who looks more fitting into a role as a villain in a science-fiction movie... is saddening, to say the least. I'm not sure what Peter Jackson saw in him as Thorin, but, I can only hope he knows what he is doing! Martin Freeman looks good to me, as well as Bombur, Dwalin, and Oin. I can also see Fili and Kili working out. However, like Petty seems to be hinting, I hope that they are not turned into a comic relief, even though I don't think Peter Jackson would let that happen. Then again, I can't really trust my predictions for this cast, because I never really saw Sean Astin working out well as Sam, and yet I think he is one of the best actors in that movie, now. But, Cheers! to perhaps being back for good, as news heats up! <img src='/images/smileys/bigsmile.gif' border='0' alt='Big Smile Smilie' /> - Durin
Glad to "see" you again Durin. :mrgreen: Hope you stick around for a bit. But goodness, anyone might think that most of the Dwarves in The Hobbit [i:1zziju8y]weren't[/i:1zziju8y] Comic Relief from what you say. <img src='/images/smileys/wink.gif' border='0' alt='Wink Smilie' /> [b:1zziju8y]GB[/b:1zziju8y]
Comical things happened, of course, but the dwarves were not comical of themselves, just folk put into situations that might be amusing to those looking from outside - they certainly were not comic relief. And WELCOME BACK, ol' Durin! I for one missed you (as did Wisey and Mirabella!) <img src='/images/smileys/bigsmile.gif' border='0' alt='Big Smile Smilie' />
:roll: Right Odo. Because they certainly never bumbled around falling into things, galumphing loudly through forests inattentively, and getting themselves captured and saved by Bilbo time and again. [b:1ghnvzpf]GB[/b:1ghnvzpf]
I haven't been around for a while! The news deadened and so did my activity. But, now the casting list! I was SO happy to here Martin Freeman is Mr. Baggins! I've been rooting for him since the rumor <img src='/images/smileys/bigsmile.gif' border='0' alt='Big Smile Smilie' /> All I can do is wait for this thing to be made and then I can die happy.
If you want to see Armitage in action, he is on BBC1 tomorow night in Spooks, much better than he was in Robin Hood. What armitage, the soap star and the vampire all have in common is that they are good at being intimidating, this does give me some hope for the dwarves.
[quote="Eldorion":22ctztni]I've heard of Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage but know little about them, and don't recognize any of the other names. Can anyone say anything about them? :lol:[/quote:22ctztni] Richard Armitage starred in the BBC production of North & South as the lead male character John Thornton. He played Sir Guy of Gisborne in the campy BBC series Robin Hood. Those in the UK are watching him now as Lucas North in Spooks and most recently as John Porter in Strike Back. Those are just a few of his roles. What you may not know about him is that he is a very talented reader of audiobooks. I never thought that particular media would be one I enjoyed until I heard him read, and do various character voices for audio books of Robin Hood and several Georgette Heyer books (Sylvester, Venetia, The Convenient Marriage). My favorite so far however, is Bernard Cornwell's Lords of the North. His reading and characterization of Lord Uhtred made me fall in love with the book and the series. The burning passion of John Thornton, the sexy, smirking, leather-clad swagger of Sir Guy, the intelligence and angst of Lucas North makes the anticipation of his characterization of Thorin something to savor.
I haven't heard his audio work Ann Marie only seen him on tv. His voice always made me think of Sean Bean so I can imagine he would be accomplished at that. My main reservation is that they will make Thorin more of an action figure, younger and more active. I hope I am wrong.
[quote="pettytyrant101":trhmi01c]I haven't heard his audio work Ann Marie only seen him on tv. His voice always made me think of Sean Bean so I can imagine he would be accomplished at that. My main reservation is that they will make Thorin more of an action figure, younger and more active. I hope I am wrong.[/quote:trhmi01c] I think it depends on how much you trust Mr. Peter Jackson. If you thought he remained true to the real essence of the characters in LOTR then I would say Keep the Faith here as well. I am not worried because I have seen what Mr. Armitage can do with characters (see him as John Mulligan in Moving On). It is his eyes and his voice that are especially evocative and if they do the kind of make up that we think is necessary those will be key. BTW- I LOVE your username! Absolutely LOVE it! <img src='/images/smileys/wink.gif' border='0' alt='Wink Smilie' />
Welcome to the forum Ann Marie. :mrgreen: When I first heard Richard Armitage was cast as Thorin, I thought "What a strange career U-turn for this guy: :shock: :? [img:ehbvykx3]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Richard_L._Armitage.jpeg[/img:ehbvykx3] A real shady character with ties to the CIA, and served as US Deputy Secretary of State under George Bush II. But I thought, well why not, he looks like he could play the part. But then I found out Richard Armitage was this guy: [img:ehbvykx3]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/ArmitageBAFTAs2010.jpg/250px-ArmitageBAFTAs2010.jpg[/img:ehbvykx3] And then I thought...wait a minute, he doesn't look like a Dwarf at all, and much too young for Thorin. :? But hey...he's a Brit...and that's what counts. So all right, let's give him a go. <img src='/images/smileys/wink.gif' border='0' alt='Wink Smilie' /> [b:ehbvykx3]GB[/b:ehbvykx3]
"I LOVE your username! Absolutely LOVE it!"- :oops: Thanks. "I think it depends on how much you trust Mr. Peter Jackson." I'm not sure how to answer that in few enough words. I may rant! Lets just say I could comfortably drop him into the Cracks of Doom and only have a twinge of moral regret (and that would only be for the sheer effort he put in making LotR). Its Armitage youthful good looks and is occasional appearances in either swash buckling or sexy male lead roles that makes me worry. I hope they cast him for something other than those qualities but I fear on previous evidence they might just have 'overhauled' Thorin's character and age and written something largely of their own devising.
@ Gandalf's Beard: You made me laugh out loud! The first time I googled Richard Armitage I came up with the same one you did first and said, "What the....?" Added North & South to the search terms and got the better looking one with much more hair. <img src='/images/smileys/smile.gif' border='0' alt='Smile Smilie' /> I like your outlook, "Let's give him a go"...I'm there with you and looking forward to the adventure.
I feel like atheists sometimes feel looking at the devout. I sometimes wish I had your faith, it would be a nice comfort at times, but I don't see any evidence to justify it!!
[quote="pettytyrant101":g72ac2aq]I feel like atheists sometimes feel looking at the devout. I sometimes wish I had your faith, it would be a nice comfort at times, but I don't see any evidence to justify it!![/quote:g72ac2aq] Faith is believing without seeing, but I have faith because I have seen! I first encountered Mr. Armitage in North & South and as a TV serial production was quite good but flawed. Then I read the book and realized what a departure from the book the series really was. But it didn't matter- his depiction of John Thornton was pitch perfect even without a few key dialogue pieces from the book that would have been riveting on screen. So I have faith...think positive things, it will be ok. Tolkien was important to him growing up and he has read and loved the books, from what I've read in the past. Thorin will be well cared for in Mr. A's hands.
Its not how well Mr Armitage will do that worries me- its what sort of a mess of a script he has to act out that scares me. I have a lot more faith in Armitages acting skills than I do in PJ and the the Covens writing skills.
@pettytyrant101, Regarding the script concerns, perfectly understandable as anyone watching the current Lucas North disintegration on Spooks could relate to. There they've taken a heroic character and, so far, reduced him to a love sick, irrational man throwing away his career and life. Even so, I am amazed at what he has done with the part. We can't worry about things over which we have no control. So here's hoping for the best....
Oh I always hope for the best....its just life seems to so rarely deliver on it.
I think the first Richard Armitage would "look" the part at least. I'm not joking. Thorin would be an authoritive type and mature. Your first Mr Armitage also looks strong and stubborn. (NB GB - back to one of your previous posts on this thread, per dwarves - please read The Hobbit. You'll benefit from doing so, I'm sure).
Here is a link to the casting notice for The Hobbit...it seems completely doable... http://www.movies.spoilertv.com/2010/01 ... -call.html
I'm willing to give Armitage a fair go. After seeing Matt Smith convince me he was 900 years old anythings possible from an actor, regardless of age (anyone remember the very young David Jason as the ancient old con in Porridge, totally convincing). My worries are most definitely with the characterization as presented in the script. And with it looking like they've written up the Radagast role from nothing too I am seriously starting to worry. Especially if Mr McCoy's assertion that its a big part are correct.
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